- Details
Cherry shrimp are also known as Red Cherry shrimp. The Neocaridina heteropoda are an active group of freshwater invertebrates found in Taiwan's streams and ponds.
They are small freshwater shrimp or dwarf shrimp of the family Laridae which is a common species within the freshwater aquarium community. A well-managed, proper environment makes these tiny shrimp strong and valuable to the environment.
With the right care, Cherry shrimp will likely live anywhere in the range of one and two years, with high breeding potential and minimal upkeep. If you’re not careful, however, they can be oppressed and eaten by the other fish you add to their tank. Because of this, it’s imperative to choose tank mates for your RCS carefully.
Cherry shrimp has become a common aquarium fish for several reasons.
These include:
- Hardiness and ability to adjust to any freshwater environment
- Notable water temperature range, as cherry shrimps can endure comfortable at temperatures between 65 and 85 F
- The low space requirements, up to 5 shrimps per gallon
- Fast breeders, are skilled at reproducing rapidly, especially in optimal water conditions
- Easy and flexible approach, minimizing the risk of territorial conflicts
- An overwhelmingly cute appearance
Here is the list of suitable cherry shrimp tank mates:
1. Neon Tetras
Neon Tetras make superb fish tank companions for the Red Cherry Shrimp. They live well in tanks together and provide a fascinating contrast in their colors.
Make sure the tank has enough capacity to house both fish. This is because they will need more room to swim around and be happy.
Neon tetras like water between 6.8 – 7.5 PH, the same at cherry shrimp-like and temperatures around 75. However, they can live well at the slightly warmer temperatures preferred by RCS.
2. Amano Shrimp
The Amano shrimp is very similar in appearance to the ghost shrimp, with a few notable exceptions. The shrimp’s body has a translucent appearance, but is slightly brown, with dark dots in succession across the entire body. The Amano shrimp is additionally slightly larger on average.
Its scavenging behavior and ability to adapt to different environmental conditions further tarnish its reputation. However, the Amano shrimp requires steady water parameters to thrive.
The perfect temperature range sits between 70 and 80 °F, which is pretty much standard for most tank shrimp.
3. Endler Guppy
Guppies are at present the most notorious fresh and brackish water fish you can find. They are adaptable, peaceful, very various in terms of coloring and patterns, and can reproduce like crazy in captivity.
That being said, guppies aren’t just the most compatible tank mates for cherry shrimp. That’s because most guppies will grow up to 2.5 inches, which is typically 3 times as large as a cherry shrimp. And guppies love tiny shrimps for all the wrong reasons.
The difference with Endler guppies is that they are somewhat tiny. The largest Endler guppy won’t exceed 1.8 inches in size, but they are typically around 1 inch on average. This will prevent them from viewing cherry shrimp as viable meals, which you can’t really say about the shrimp fry. Other than that, Endler guppies are diplomatic creatures that prefer to live in larger groups and require little care to thrive.
4. Pygmy Corydoras
These fish are perhaps the best choice for a shrimp tank for several reasons. The most obvious one is the fish’s size. Pygmy Corydoras will hardly reach 1 inch in size, which means they will stand no threat to your cherry shrimp. They are also very peaceful and responsive to all tank inhabitants and will spend most of their time in the tank’s upper area.
These fish can live up to 3 years in optimum environmental conditions and thrive in groups of at least 10-12 individuals. The fact that they adore tropical water conditions and feel-at-home aquariums filled with plants are extra benefits.
Keep their water at temperatures between 72 and 80 F and guarantee their system’s constancy in the long run, and they will thrive.
Summary
The options listed here are by no means comprehensive. Cherry shrimp can live with a wide variety of tank mates, including those that are not considered suitable.
In most cases, you can make it work so long as you deliver your shrimps with enough hiding places and a varied environmental layout. As a golden rule, make sure your shrimp tank mates don’t massive them by much and don’t rank as natural shrimp predators.
Other than that, your shrimp will adapt to any environment with your assistance, of course.